


The Tango Auriana

by maybeawriter6



Category: LoliRock (Cartoon)
Genre: 2 of 3 hate each other's guts at first, Accidental Relationship, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Auristo, Because ya'll said "no ot3" and you should know by now I don't like being told what to do, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Talisto, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Multi, OT3, Oh and I might toss in some Praxiris too, Polyamory, Pre-Poly, This isn't really for the ship week, You never know lol, even I don't know, help me, honestly what am I doing, spite is an excellent motivator, these aren't even my ships, what is my life, why am I so salty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-13 23:30:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11770716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maybeawriter6/pseuds/maybeawriter6
Summary: Auriana unintentionally ends up dating two sworn enemies. This can't end well, can it?





	The Tango Auriana

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Margoteve for suggesting the title (a reference to the song "The Tango Maureen" from Rent) and Followmetoyourdoom for Beta-reading.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! :3

It was a series of accidents. Auriana didn't mean to fall in love with either of them. Much less at the same time.

Talia was just a friend. She was like a sister. But Auriana couldn't ignore how smart or skilled or beautiful or kind she was. Talia started getting all flustered and blushy when Auriana hugged her and... well, the kiss certainly wasn't planned. Auriana tripped and fell onto Talia and their lips met. It just happened. An accident.

And that's how she started dating Talia.

Mephisto was her enemy. They were supposed to hate each other. But Auriana couldn't help teasing him a little when she found out he had a tiny crush on her. She asked for his number and sent him a couple of memes as a prank. He replied thanking her for being the first cause for genuine laughter he'd had in a while. It led to a conversation and suddenly they were regularly texting in secret. She hadn't been prepared for how cute he was when he let his guard down. Or how sincerely nice he could be, or how clever, or how funny. One thing led to another, and somehow they switched from memes to love poems.

And that's how she started dating Mephisto.

A series of accidents, that was all. But now Auriana had a serious problem on her hands.

Neither of her loves knew about the other, yet, and she wasn't sure how to tell them.

It wasn't so much the fact that she loved them both. Polyamorous relationships were extremely common on Ephedia. That wasn't the issue.

The issue was that the two people happened to be Talia and Mephisto, specifically.

"Iris, you gotta help me." Auriana clasped her hands. "I'm in so much trouble!"

"Calm down, Auriana, what's wrong?"

Iris was excited when she heard about her feelings for Talia, but grew decidedly pale when she explained about Mephisto.

"...Well, Auri..." Iris sat down heavily. "You sure can pick 'em."

Auriana sat across from her with a sigh. "Tell me about it. What am I gonna do, Iris? They're gonna try to kill each other, for sure."

Iris shook her head. "If only it had been somebody else, besides Mephisto." She snorted. "At least it wasn't Praxina, I guess."

Auriana laughed. "No, you're right, that'd have been much more dangerous. As it is, she might take offense to me dating her brother... Wow, I am very much dead."

"I'm sure Mephisto can handle his own sister. If Talia doesn't murder him, I mean."

Auriana groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Not helping."

"Sorry." Iris thought for a minute. "...Maybe you should just get them both together and explain."

"Then they'll _definitely_ kill each other. But... I can't think of anything else. Besides breaking up with one of them, and I could never do that."

Iris nodded. "Of course not. Listen, how about that willow tree in the park? It's private enough, and it's neutral ground."

Auriana puffed a sigh. "Might as well. Promise you'll hang around for backup?"

"I'll be just a shout away."

 

* * *

 

Mephisto teleported to the shadows behind the willow, just as Auriana’s text had requested. He hadn't seen her face to face since their confession of love.

He nervously ran his fingers through his hair and fussed with his shirt and cape. He hoped he looked presentable. He wanted to impress her. And he _really_ hoped Praxina and Gramorr wouldn't miss him. The last thing he wanted was them crashing his date.

He stifled a giddy laugh. Date. He was going on a date. With a real person and not a crystal monster. And not just any person, no, it was Princess Auriana. The prettiest and funniest girl he'd ever met.

Mephisto took a deep breath and stepped inside the green curtain. No sign of her, yet. Had she changed her mind? He clamped down a surge of panic and decided he must be early.

A few minutes ticked by while he bounced up and down anxiously on the balls of his feet. Finally, he heard her cheerful voice in the distance. Breathing a sigh of both relief and fresh nerves, he impulsively fussed over his appearance some more.

He was licking his hand in order to slick his hair back, when the willow branches parted suddenly and Talia of Xeris walked in.

Mephisto froze mid-lick like a deer in headlights, his tongue still on his palm. Talia's jaw fell open.

Auriana came in right behind her and barely stifled a snort when she saw Mephisto.

He immediately dropped his hand and straightened up, but inadvertently bit his tongue. "Ow!"

"Mephisto?!" Talia fell into a defensive stance the moment her shock wore off. "What are you doing here?!"

"Ee?!" he demanded, trying to speak around his sore tongue. "Wot ah _ooo_ doin' 'ere, 'alia?!"

Auriana gave an overly loud, nervous laugh. The others turned to look at her.

"Mephisto!" she said with a desperate sort of enthusiasm. "You're here! And you're early!" Her eyes were scared despite her smile.

"You- He- What?!" Talia sputtered.

"Auriana?" Mephisto's face hovered between hurt and anger. "Wot's 'oin' on?"

Auriana took a deep breath. "Listen, guys, I'm really, really sorry. I was hoping I'd have a chance to prepare you both, first."

She stepped forward and took Talia's hand, then Mephisto’s, and sat down crosslegged on the grass, pulling them down with her.

"...I don't really know how to explain this..."

Talia and Mephisto were torn between shooting concerned looks at Auriana and glaring at each other. They sat as far apart as they could without letting go of Auriana’s hands.

Auriana decided to just blurt it out. "Ok. Talia, this is my boyfriend, Mephisto. Mephisto, this is Talia. My girlfriend."

They stared at her with such comically shocked expressions that she might have laughed if she weren't the cause.

"You're dating _him_ , too?!" Talia yelped, yanking her hand away.

Mephisto did the same, looking at Auriana with poorly disguised betrayal. "When did this happen?" He hardly registered that his tongue felt better.

Auriana wrung her suddenly empty hands "Almost exactly the same time, actually. I wanted to tell you both, sooner, but I didn't know how."

Talia turned away. "...I can't believe you cheated on me. With _Mephisto,_ of all people!"

Mephisto bristled but Auriana answered before he could.

"No, Talia, not cheating! Just... I wanted to date both of you, like a polyship."

"But we didn't _know,_ Auriana! Everybody has to know, or it doesn't count!"

"I know that." Auriana looked down, hugging herself. "I'm so sorry if I hurt either of you. It was selfish, maybe, but I was scared of losing you. That's why I _am_ telling you, now."

Talia sighed and took her hand again. "If it means that much to you, and makes you happy, I'm more than ok with sharing you. Heaven knows you have enough love to go around." She frowned. "But does it have to be _Mephisto?!_ "

Mephisto was staring off to the side with a stormy expression. He was being uncharacteristically quiet.

Auriana looked at him, worried. "...Mephisto?"

Mephisto stood, scowling. "Do you expect me to become 'best besties' with little Miss Goodie-Two-Shoes, here?"

Talia sprung to her feet, glaring fiercely at him. "As if I could be friends with _you,_ you villain! I don't know what lies you told Auriana to make her fall for you, but they won't work on me!"

"I would never lie to her! How dare you?!" He grit his teeth, a magic circle spinning idly at his fingertips.

Talia readied a counter spell. "Yes, because lying would be _so_ unlike you! Please! You're a liar and a traitor and a bully!"

"You don't even know me!" He raised his hand, bathing the area in green light as he inhaled to shout a spell.

"Stop it!" Auriana cried, jumping between them. "Both of you! This is exactly why I didn't tell you!"

Talia and Mephisto both froze. They'd never seen Auriana so mad before.

She sighed and shut her eyes. "Look, if you want to break up with me, break up with me. I really think this could work, but I wouldn't blame you for wanting to leave."

They stared at her, then sized each other up silently. They let their magic circles fade out.

"Fine." Talia made an effort to unclench her fists. "If _he_ promises not to hurt any of us."

Mephisto was flushed with barely contained rage. "...For your sake, Auriana, and _only_ for your sake. But she has to promise not to hurt _me,_ either."

Talia's eyes burned, but she nodded. "Very well. I agree to try it, Auriana."

"As do I, but if the trial goes poorly, I refuse to be bound by these vows."

Talia glared at him, but he chose to look only at Auriana. His eyes softened when he did.

She gave a sigh of relief and smiled at them. They both mustered half-smiles in reply.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She hugged them with a happy squeal. "I thought for sure... Oh, forget all that! I'm just so happy you both agreed!"

Mephisto was a little lightheaded from being hugged, even if it was only half of one. He looked evenly at Talia and put out his hand.

Talia eyed it suspiciously. Only once she felt relatively certain it wasn't a trick did she shake it. Her grip was a little too firm.

There was a warning in her eyes. _Don't hurt her._

Mephisto fought to stay calm. Obviously, Talia didn't realize the magnitude of what he'd just agreed to do.

If Praxina or Gramorr realized he was pulling punches in battle in order to honor his promise... He didn't even want to _think_ about the consequences.

 

* * *

 

Two weeks passed. Luckily, Praxina and Gramorr had yet to plan a new attack, and Mephisto certainly didn't intend to offer any suggestions.

Praxina asked him once where he kept disappearing to. Mephisto told her he'd been practicing, and he had the increased skill to back it up.

Nevermind that he'd been practicing with Auriana.

The Talia situation was... awkward, but not as big a deal as he'd feared. They hardly saw one another. They went on their own separate dates with Auriana, and she gave them both her full attention.

But the simple fact of the matter was that she lived with Talia. She worked with her. They were together all the time. They knew each other better. Mephisto could hardly claim more than a passing acquaintance with his own girlfriend. He knew nothing of her past except that Gramorr had captured her family. Everybody knew that.

He felt like more and more of an imposter every time they talked or texted and ended with "I love you." How could either of them possibly mean it? He thought he did, but... he wasn't exactly an expert on positive emotions.

Mephisto wouldn't exactly call the feeling eating at his insides "jealousy." More like... inadequacy. He wasn't good enough. He couldn't be what she needed. Talia could. It was stupid and selfish to keep pretending like this.

He needed to set her free. It would kill him to do it. But this wasn't about him.

 

* * *

 

"You've been quiet, today," Auriana said, smiling kindly at him. "Something bothering you?"

Mephisto glanced at her. Her face was aglow with dappled sunlight filtering through the trees. She looked like a fairy, perched as she was on the stone bench and wearing a cute purple dress.

His heart leaped at how adorable she was, and that only made him more miserable.

Mephisto sighed and bowed his head, letting his bangs hide his face from her.

"You don't have to do this, you know," he said quietly.

She cocked her head. "Do what?"

He took a deep, shaky breath. Steeling himself. "...You don't have to keep... stringing me along, like this. You're not sparing my feelings. I know I can't possibly compete with _her._ "

Auriana blinked. "Mephisto, it's not a competition. I love you."

He scoffed, allowing anger to rush in and save him from the pain. "How can you claim to love someone you barely know? And who barely knows you? I'm lucky if I get to see you once in a while, and Talia is there for you all the time!" He got up and crossed his arms.

Auriana was getting pretty mad herself. She stood and faced him. "You know, I suspected maybe you were jealous, but I didn't think it was _this_ bad!"

"I'm not _jealous,_ Auriana, but I'm not blind! This isn't..." He couldn't say it without his voice cracking. His anger was quickly abandoning him. "...This isn't working. It was never going to. Even without Talia."

She took a half-step back, hurt swelling up in her chest. "...No, Mephisto, listen-"

"I'm not good for you, Auriana." He was staring at the ground, unable to bear actually looking at her. "...I'm not good. Period. I don't deserve you, and you deserve everything. You deserve _Talia._ Somebody who you can trust and who puts you first and who doesn't work for your arch enemy." He felt tears run down his cheeks, but couldn't be bothered to care. "...Talia is so much better than I could ever hope to be. You don't need to keep pretending you're still interested in me. I got the hint, and I'm showing myself out. You're free to-"

Suddenly she was hugging him, startling him from his train of thought. A little flame of hope sprang to life inside him, but he snuffed it out. This was her way of thanking him. Of saying goodbye.

He hugged her back, wishing by the Melzors that this didn't have to be the last time.

She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding herself up. She weighed almost nothing to him, so he just instinctively grabbed her legs to support her and looked at her face in confusion. Her suddenly very close face. He blushed.

"Aur- uh- Auriana? What are you-"

"Who said I was pretending?" she said gently.

Then she was kissing him. Mephisto's eyes went wide and he nearly dropped her. His brain went from a flipchart of gloomy thoughts to a blank white void.

The hope in his chest roared into a blazing inferno, because even though he'd never been kissed before in his life, he could still tell this wasn't the kiss of somebody who wasn't interested.

He hesitantly kissed her back, hoping he was doing it right. His eyes fluttered shut.

For that golden minute, everything seemed perfect.

They didn't hear a small gasp of horror from the trees, nor see a pair of tearful blue eyes turn to slits of anger. And they certainly didn't see the evil smirk that grew as a plan was formed.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated! Part two should be coming soon!
> 
> (Also please consider checking out my other fics? Thanks in advance if you do!)


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